Continuous process apparatus for forming articles from pulp



July 24,1928. 1,677,905

O, J. SALISBURY CONTINUOUS PROCESS APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES FRO]! PULP Original Fi ledjsept. 15-, 1921 2 sh ts-she t, l

- Ana/mus Jilly 24, 1928.

. O. J. SALISBURY CONTINUOUS PROCESS APPARATUS FOR FORMI'NG ARTICLES FROMPULP Original Filed Sept. 15, 1921 2 sheetsrshm 2 Patented July 24, 1928 UNITED TATES;

1 1,677,905 PATENT orr-1e13,

gonauenu. SALISBURY, or SALT LAK crrmn'rnn. I

con'rmuous rnocnss ArfARatrUs F oRjFoimiNe ARTiCLE- raoivi iPUIZP,

Original application filed September 13, 1921, Serial No. 500,300. v Divided and this application filed a ,J'u1 24,1923. serial Ko'.'653,409'. 1

The present invention relates to improve ments in apparatus for filtering and forming articles from pulp solutions and more especially to continuous process apparatus for forming articles from pulp.

It isthe object of this invention to providemeans whereby articles may be automatically formed and dischargedflcomplet'e, directly from a pulp solutionwhereby the manufacture of such articles may proceed indefinitely, so long as power and materialsbe supplied, with a uniform quality of product' and with a minimum of attentlon The present application. is a div sion of my application entitled Apparatus forfiltering and for; forming articles from pulp solutions, filed September 13, 1921, Serial v No, 500,300patented May 12, 192 5 as Patent Number 1,537,195."

dicate likeparts throughout the several views of the drawings, inwhieh;

Figure ,1 is an elevation in partial section of one preferred embodiment of my inven- Figure 2 is a sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1, taken on the line"2 2,

of that figure; Figure 3- shows in detail" one port on of the device shown .in Figure 1; f Figure 4 serves to show a further and Figure 5 illustrates a' 'third detail of con In Figure 1 -of -the drawings a suction filter 'drum 10' is supported upon the hollow shaft 12 which revolves in the bearings, 14 supported in the'frame..16. The frame 16 also serves to supportvthepulp vat 20, and the hood 21 which is providedwithside openings to permi't'the entrance and-exit of the web or belt 22. This beltflpartially cncircles'the drum 10 andv passesoutfthrough the extension 23" of-the casingyhood 21, :to, a

The drum 10 has upon its outer surfacea 1 seri'es'of openings 33' which communicate, through such means :as the tubes 35 with the interior of the hollow shaft 12 and there- Like numerals have been employed to in-' detail discharge point 25. From this point, after.

through to a suction connection 38 which leads to any suitable suction "source,-- not shown. Drum 10 is secured to and revolves with thc'shaft 12 which is rotated through the shaft 12 or in thesuction connection 38 and that all of the openings 33are'subjected 'to an'equal, suction irrespective of'the'rota;

tion of'the shaft or drum. I Drum 10 'is ar-' ranged overand dipping into'the" pulp vat- 20in such manner that a substantial portion of its surfa'ce is submerged in' thepulp 'solut-ion 40con'tainedin the vat. 1

The belt 22 constructed from such easily permeable material as screen or fabric being of such.greatweightthat it must' be supported at the frequent intervals'nec'es sary to the chains formerly employed in attempts to produce continuousoperation, v The fabric'lias the addedadvantages that the] moulds can be, supported every few inches and need therefore have no heavy castings or reinforceme'nt's. I rfact, itis permissible and preferable thatl the moulds be;con,strue te d,' asin Figure 5, of light filter fabric or. screen, and thaththe" moulds "will always licfcvenly upon thesuction drum lo as the suctionf'rom the openings 33 acts through the belt 22' and holds it in positive contact witlrthe drum surface 'This positive contact between ,thebelt 22 and drum 10aids: the drumin drivingthe, belt and also assures a sealbetween themould-edgesand thedrum, to insure proper trackingof the belt upon the drum and asa, further-aid to driving it has been found, preferablein. some cases, to provide ,lugs 43 upon thefdrum whichmesh with, openingsizin the belt edges The tension of belt 22, is positively adjustedby means of the bearings 45ofthe shaft carrying the-idler roller 26, and such adjustment may be made while the machine isinsoperation, if desired.

-. In operation, the pulp vat20 is maintained partially full of pulp in solution as, is indicated in Figure 2, the drum 10 is slowlyrotateddriving the. belt 22 while suction is applied through-the connectiou3 8 ,The, movement; of the belt 22' immerses the mouldsi 3O as it passes'under, the drum I1 0; in thepulpsolution 40, the suction acting through the shaft 12, the tubes 35, the belt 22 and the moulds rapidly deposits the pulp from the solution upon the mould surfaces while the solution liquid passes to the suction connection 38. Further movement of thebelt 22 carries the moulds above the surface of the pulp solution and air from the interior of the hood 21 is drawn through the pulp which has been deposited upon the moulds thus drying it. To aid in rapid drying, heating coils may be employ-ed to raise the temperature of the air which is drawn through the deposited pulp, and these coils may be supplemented by direct heating coils 51 when a product requiring still faster drying is to be produced. As the product dries the onward movement of the belt carries it to the discharge point 25 where the passage-of the belt around the idler roller 26 inverts the moulds, and because of the greater radius of curvature to which the mouths of the moulds must conform in passing over this relatively small diameter roller, the mould mouths are stretched and the product readily frees itself for discharge to such means as the conveyor 53, or to such other disposal of the complete product, as may be most suitable to the conditions existing in a given manufacturing plant.

' brush 62 is preferably a long bristle one re- .viee is shown in detail in Figure 4 0 of the moulds, as

From the point of discharge 25 the now empty moulds are carried by the pulp vat, and it has been found advantageous to interpose a cleaning device 60 in this return path, thus assuring clean, free.

moulds and a uniform product even after long periods of operation. The cleaning the drawings and in its simplest form comprises a revolving brush 62, a spray 63 and a catch basin (i4 draining through the pipe, 65 to the sewer or other suitable discharge point. The

volving at a, considerable speed so that it may reach and cleanse the innermost corners spray jet 66 directed through the belt and moulds has also proved efficacious. The ac tion of this cleanser is of course entirely automatic and is a continuous after the machine is once started.

It has also been found an advantage to provide a shield 70 arranged close to that portion of the surface of the suction drum 10 which the belt 22 does not cover. this shield serving to prevent the in-rush of air to the openings 33 which would otherwise occur and thus reduce the work required of the suction producing means, while still removing the need of a valve in the drum or drum-shaft, as has been previously pointed out.

.It will be seen thatthe herein described mechanism involves no intricate parts nor is the complete apparatus of such nature that it may not be operated by other than expert methe belt back to an aid to such cleansing a chanics, but that it is adapted for installation'and maintenance without the expenditure of any considerable amount of skill orengineering materials. The web or screen befltemployed reduces very considerably the weight of the complete apparatus, reduces the weight and strength of moulds required I while permitting the widest possible range of mould form. This belt also insures sealing between the moulds and suction drum and an even distribution of the suction over the mould surface together with a positive driving-contact with the surface of the suction drum. The cl-caning'device which has been described may be replaced in whole or in part with other suitable mechanism, and with some pulp ingredients removed entirely as the mouldmovement in passing over the idler and guide rollers will free the moulds without aid. It should be understood, however, that the binders employed and the'nature of the pulp fibers, ordinarilydemands the use of a cleaner.

It will also be understood that manychanges and modifications may be made in the embodiment of my invention, that various parts may be employed for the accomplishment of beneficial results without the employment of other parts, and that while I have illustrated and described the best forms of my invention now known to me, it will be I apparent to those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a pulp forming and moulding apparatns, a suction drum and a mould carrying belt, said belt adapted to make tight contact w th said drum and to transmit suctiontherefrom to the aforesaid moulds.

2. In a pulp forming and moulding apparatus, a suction drum having a substantially regular periphery, a mould structure having an irregular surf-ace, and a belt. said belt adapted to carry the mould structure and to fit the periphery of the said suction drum.

3. In a pulp forming and moulding apparatus, a suction drum having a substantially regular periphery, a mould structure having, an irregular surface, and a permeable web, said web attached to the irregular surface of said monld structure but sufiiciently flexible to engage the periphery of the said suction drum for the purpose of transmitting suction from said drum to said mould structure.

4. The means for forming a suction tightconnection between moulds of irregular form, and a suction'surface of regular form, which comprises a movable permeable web upon one side of which the moulds are "mounted applied to the suction surface.

and the reverse side of which is formed from permeable 5. A continuous moulding surface for a continuous process moulding machine comprising a plurality of irregular moulds material and mounted upon a flexible permeable web.

6'. In a pulp forming and moulding apparatus comprising a belt carrying foraminous moulds, the means for ejecting articles from said moulds which comprises a roller of small radius around which the said belt may pass to'temporarily distort the said moulds. v

7. In amachine of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a pulp solution, a drum arranged to rotate with a portionof its periphery submerged in the solution, said drum being provided with means for applying suction inward from its periphery, and a belt carried filtering medium movable within the tank in contact with said drum and without the tank out of contact with said drum, said filtering medium being shaped to conform to the articles which it is desired to produce.

8. In a machine of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a pulp solution, a drum arranged to rotate with a portion of its periphery submerged in the solution, said drum being provided with means forheating said filtering material and the material deposited thereon during its movement away from the drum.

9. In apparatus for forming articles from pulp solutions, a pulp tank, a suction drum,

a permeable belt, foraminous moulds, a-

drier, a discharger, and a mould cleaner, said pulp tank'adapted to contain a pulp solution with a portion of the said drum immersed therein, said permeable belt adapted to carry the said fo'raminous moulds into said tank around the said drum through the said solution and through said drier to the discharger thence to the cleaner and back to the aforesaid tank.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

ORANGE J. SALISBURY. 

